Special incentives and subsidies

Additional Info: This message was updated at 3pm Thursday 20 June 2013

Hinds to Halswell
Heavy rainfall has caused several drains and streams to overtop their banks from Hinds to Halswell. Extensive surface water flooding is also present in some areas. Staff are continuing to monitor the situation. Large swell is currently preventing an attempt to open Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere to the sea. An attempt will be made as soon as weather and sea conditions allow.

Kaikoura
Heavy rain has been falling in and around Kaikoura for the last couple of hours. At this time ECan does not expect rivers to rise to significant flood levels or for there to be any "out of river" flood problems. However, any recreationalists or contractors using riverbeds should remain wary of rising water levels.

This message will be updated after 9am Friday 21 June.

Area: South Canterbury

Additional Info:

This message was posted on Thursday 20 June 2013 at 9am.

Rainfall situation

Up to 130mm of rain fell in the South Canterbury and Waitaki Valley foothills and plains from early Sunday 16 June to late Monday.
All foothill rivers in the area peaked on Monday afternoon and flows have dropped.

ECan staff are assessing the damage to the river systems and stopbanks. Stopbank breaches on the Lower Waihao River have reduced considerably the flood carrying capacity of this river. Other rivers may also have suffered damage.

Overnight Wednesday (19th) and into Thursday (20th) some rain has continued to fall in South Canterbury with most coastal raingauges recording between 15mm - 40mm. This rain has been steady but with only low to moderate intensity. Further back in the catchments (above 200 - 300m elevation) this precipitation is mostly falling as snow.

Due to the saturated ground conditions, the continuing rainfall will cause rapid increases in the flows of small streams, creeks and drains on the plains as well as general ponding in lower lying areas. Water on roads and their margins will also be common and motorists need to take care.

The presence of snow higher in the catchments should limit the flows of the larger foothill rivers and ECan doesn't anticipate any problems with flooding from these rivers, but all farmers adjacent to rivers are advised to continue to check their own situation as even modest amounts of rain, in the lower catchment may result in a some rise in river levels.

Coastal Swell Warning

The metservice has also issued a swell warning for the coastal area from the Waitaki River to Banks Peninsula. The forecast is for southerly swells up to 5m overnight Thursday/Friday with high swells continuing through the weekend. These swells coincide with a period of higher then usual high tides (perigean tides). Landowners adjacent to the coast need to monitor their situation and stock or equipment in low-lying coastal areas should be moved.

Timaru high tide times over the weekend are: Friday 0030hrs & 1300 hrs. Saturday 01:30hrs and 1400hrs and Sunday 0220hrs & 1450hrs.

This message will updated if the situation changes significantly.

Website links:

http://ecan.govt.nz/services/online-services/monitoring/river-flows/Pages/River-flows-south.aspx

http://ecan.govt.nz/services/online-services/monitoring/rainfall/Pages/rainfall-south-canterbury.aspx

Help clean-up the air and enjoy the benefits of clean, efficient heating. Check to see what financial help is available in your area to help upgrade your fire or burner to cleaner home heating.

Check out how you can add any balance to your existing mortgage, fee-free.

Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart

The Government’s EECA Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme offers subsidies for clean heating and insulation. Visit www.energywise.govt.nz for more details.

Clean Heat Ashburton

Clean Heat Ashburton is a programme run by Ashburton District Council and Environment Canterbury and offers free home energy consultations and information on funding to properties located within Ashburton township.Visit www.cleanheatashburton.org.nz for more details.

Clean Heat Kaiapoi

Environment Canterbury is partnering with Waimakariri District Council to provide extra financial assistance to Kaiapoi homeowners. Note, this is a limited offer.

If you own your own home and have a Community Services Card, you can get $2850 towards an approved heat pump or gas heater, or $2000 towards an approved woodburner or pellet fire.

If you own your own home and don’t have a Community Services Card (or if the property is a rental), you can get $1850 towards an approved heat pump or gas heater, or $1000 towards an approved woodburner or pellet fire.

Requirements

the existing open fire or solid fuel burner must be the main source of heating in the main living area and be decommissioned;
the home must be in the Kaiapoi Clean Air Zone 1 and be built before 2000; and
insulation must be up to EECA standard (up to 60 % subsidy available).

Call one of our approved service providers today for more details and a free assessment

Heat & Home Kaiapoi 327 4813
Community Energy Action 0800 438 9276
AirCon NZ 0800 161 162

Clean Heat Timaru

Environment Canterbury is partnering with Timaru District Council to provide extra financial assistance to Timaru homeowners. Note, this is a limited offer.

If you own your own home and have a Community Services Card, you can get $2500 towards an approved heat pump, gas heater, woodburner or pellet fire.

If you own your own home and don’t have a Community Services Card (or if the property is a rental), you can get $1500 towards an approved heat pump, gas heater, woodburner or pellet fire.

Note: the highest subsidies are available if you insulate your home to EECA standards (up to 60 % subsidy available) and decommission your burner. But if you don’t want to do this, you can still get $500 towards an approved heater.

Requirements

the existing open fire or solid fuel burner must be the main source of heating in the main living area;
the home must be in the approved Timaru urban area and be built before 2000.

Call one of our approved service providers today for more details and a free assessment

Cosy Home Consultants Call 687 7103

Sullivan and Spillane Electrical, Thompsons Refrigeration Services, The Heat Pump Shop, Master Chill Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

AirCon South Canterbury Call 0800 161 162

The Clean Heat Project 2002-2011

Environment Canterbury’s Clean Heat Project was an assistance project for clean heating and insulation. It was set up in 2002 in Christchurch and in 2008 in Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Ashburton and Timaru, and assisted over 19,000 homeowners to insulate their homes and convert to cleaner forms of heating. The project finished in 2011.